Spark-distributer for internal-combustion engines.



E. D. ALLENSWORTH.

SPARK DISTRIBUIER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27. I9I7- 1,282,019, Patented 0013.22, ISHS,

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' @IhmIIIMIMI@%j] if E. D. ALLENSWORTH.

SPARK nxsRnuER FoR INTERNAL coNBusTloN ENGINES.

Patented Oat. 22,

E. D. ALLENSWQRTH.

SPARK DISTRIBUTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. `AFPLlcATxoN man ocr. 2. 1911.

1,282,019. Patented Oct. 22, 1918.A

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l l l l l l l l l I l l l i l ELLIS D. ALLENSWOBTH, OF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS,

SPARK-DISTRIBUTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, `1918.

Application led October 27, 1917. Serial No. 198,756.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known. that I, ELLIS' D. ALLENs- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Waukegan, in the county of Lake 'and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements` in Spark- Distributers for Internal-Combustion En-` gines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in spark d1stributersfor internal combustion engines.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide'a dual distributer, one of which is best adapted for starting'the engine, the other being more efficient, simple and suitable for use when and after the engine has attained its normal speed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a speed-responsive device, operable by the engine, whereby to automatically render one or the other of the distributors available in accordance with the. variations of Speed of the engine.

Other 'and further objects of my invention will become readily apparent, to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my dual distributer, taken on line l-l of F1g. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the distributer with the cover, or insulating cap removed. F Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 4 is a central vertical section taken on line 4.-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of one of the cam-operated circuit-controlling levers.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a similar lever adapted to restrain the circuit controlling armature of thel electro-magnet.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit. c

Fig. 9 is an automatic speed responsive means for switching one or the other apparatus into service.

In all the views the same reference characters are employedto indicate similar parts.

When an engine is running at a relatively slow speed, as when being started, the time interval within which the charge-igniting spark may be made endures for a longer period of time than when-the engine is operating at a greater speed rate. At such times, when the engine is operating slowly, the ignition spark should be made later or retarded in the compression or ignition stroke than when the engine has attainedv -1ts normal speed.

When an engine is being started it is cold; the compression 1s not so great and the liquid fuel more viscous and does not so :freely volatilize and admiX with the incom.

ing air charge. all of which and other deiiciencies contribute to sub-normal eiiiciency and while the mixture isA usually rather richer than subsequently in its operation, a better'or hotter spark is'required to raise the charge to the kindling point, or to ignite it.

In my dual igniter one igniting apparatus of thestructure may have its cam set ahead of the other cam so as to advance the spark, or to produce the spark earlier in the compression stroke, in point of time, than the cam of the companion apparatus, in the cyclic operation of the engine. The ignition that may advantageously be used when starting the engine is adapted to make a series of sparks in rapid succession, thereby to more perfectly ignite the` relatively refractory charge mixture, after which the other more economical igniting apparatus, of the dual igniter, which may have its cam set so as to produce ignition spark at a relatively earlier or advanced time-period in Vthe stroke of the engine, and which makes asingle spark for each charge, is manually or automatically brought into effect, in substitution of the previously adverted to apparatus, when. the engine has attained normal speed.

A casing 10, of brass or other suitable material, is provided with a hollow hub l1 and is cut away, as at 12 to provide an aperture for access to the adjustable parts of the device. This aperture is normally closed, by the circumferentially-extending relativelythin door or plate 13, which is secured to the casing by screws 14. It may contain the name of the manufacturer, patent data, etc., and may be secured to the casing 10 in any other suitable manner. The bearing sleeve 15 'is loosely lcontained, within the hollow hub 11 and may be made of Babbitt or other with an -axial bore for the cam shaft 17' of an engine, and carrying on its lower end a. ring 18 which provides an abutment or rest for the sleeve 15, and the hub 11. The stud 16 and the sleeve 18 are secured to the shaft 17 by set screw 19. Y In the example illustrated the stud 16 is prolonged vertically and reduced into a relatively small stem 20, upon which are mounted cams 21 and 22, adjustably secured thereto by suitable means, such as a set screw or the like, and mounted upon the upper end of the stem 20 is a. commutator arm 23, made of suitable insulating y-material, and adapted for commutating or distributing the high potential current to the circuits communicating with the spark plugs of the respective cylinders of the engine. If desired the cams 21 and 22 may be a single structure insteads of being transversely divided, in which event, oi? course, they will not be circumferentially adjustable, with respect to each other asA above. A vertical stud 24 is fixed in the casing 10, and on` the stud the cam-controlled levers 25 and 26 are spaced apart and are pivoted.

The levers are each provided with a roller 27 and 28, respectively, for coperation with the cam or cams 21 and 22. The lever 25 is provided, upon its free end, with an electrical contact 29 which has coperative circuit association with the relatively stationary, but adjustable contact 30, and which is normally held in contact therewith by a yielding spring 31, which. is loosely coiled around the axis of the lever 25 and secured to a fixed stud 32. The contact 30 is fixed to the end of the screw 33, which is threaded` into a block of insulating material 34, and held in adjusted position by check nut 35. The block 34 of insulating material, is held in contact with a vertical metal standard 36 that rises from the'base 37. The screw 33 passes through a clearance hole in the standard 36, so as not to make electrical contact therewith. The block 34, (Fig. 3) of insulating material is held against the standard 36 by rivets 38, or the like. An electromagnet 40, provided with a laminated core 41, is secured to the base of the casing 10, as by screws 42.

A standard 43 (Fig. 7) is fixed to the casing 10 and is adapted to support a vibrating armature 44 of the magnet 40. The resilient end 44 of the armature 44 is slotted and secured to the standard 43, by screw 45.

By this arrangement the armature may be.

quickly and easily removed for inspection, by loosening the screw 45 and lifting it from its support. It carries on its outer end an electrical contact 46, for coperation with the contact 47, which is carried by the adjustable screw 48. This screw is also provided with a check nut 49 by which it may be fixed in adjusted position. These two screws may each be adjusted through the opening 12 providedl in the casing 10 and which is normally covered by the plate make a series of sparks, at the Aconnected spark plugs in a manner to be more specifi-- cally hereinafter explained.

The casing containing the apparatus described, is covered by a cap or closure 50, preferably made of bakelite or other suitable material, which is radially enlarged at diametric points, as at 5l, to provide openings 52 to contain outwardly yielding latch springs 53 that are secured to the casing 10, as at 54, to hold the parts together. The casing cover is also provided witha series of hollow bosses 55. Secured in the bottom ofl each of the circumferentially arranged bosses and the center boss are contact members 56 which are referably molded in the cover 50, and whic have their bottom surfaces in the same horizontal plane with the top surface of the'cavity contained in the cover 50. The center contact member 56 is provided with a rounded extension 57, for

lassociation with the commutator lmember 23.

separable ball member 59 that is to be con-V nected-to the wire 60. Theball members 59 are each provided with a stem 61, to which a conductor 62, of each of the wires,is connected. Contact association may be made with spring plates 58, and the balls 59, by pushing the latter into the former. The wire insulation 60 will then be contained within the hollow hubs 55, thereby strengthening the insulation of the wires and preventing undue strain upon the contact portions of the wire.

Mounted in the free end of the rotatable arm 23 is a contact 'stud 63, which passes into a vertically extending socket made in the outer end of the arm, and is yieldingly held'in its outer position by the spring 64. In contact with the member 63 is a spring plate 65 which is secured to an elevation 66, on the arm 23, and has yielding contact with the rounded extension 57 of the contact piece 56 and which is located in the central hub 55 of the cover 50.

The arm 26 (Fig. 2) normally bears vagainst the free end of the armature 44, be-

ing yieldinglj7 held in 'such position to push the free end of the armature 44 toward the magnet 40 so that its contact 46 will not make in such position as. to permit the spring 67 to move the lever 26, the end 26 of the lever will move and hold the armature 44 out of contact, thus breaking the electric circuit, controlled by the electro-magnet 40 and holding it open.

The insulated circuit terminals 70, 71, and 72 are for connecting the device to the respective circuits.' Terminal 70 is connected to the stationary insulated contact screw 33 and terminal 71 is connected to the similar screw 48, through the electro-magnet 40. The terminal 72 is also connected tothe screw 48 for accommodation of the condenser C.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a schematic arrangement ofthe circuits wherein B is the battery, C and C are two condensers, for the respective circuit controlling devices, P is a primary induction coil o the transformer, See is the secondary coil of the transformer, SP is the spark plug, and S is the switch.

tery B, over the wire 75 to the primary coil P, thence to the arm 73, over the wire 76 to the contact 74, through the wire 77 to the terminals 71 of the device; over the wire 78, through the electro-magnet 40 and by the wire 79 to the contact screw 48, thence to the ground through the amature 44 andthe ground wire 80. This will cause the armature 44 `to be rapidly vibrated when the contact end 26 of the lever 26, is held away from the armature 44 by means of the cam 22, as shown in the right hand side of the diagram. This will rapidly open andvclose the primary circuit by the contacts 46 and 47, causing a number of sparks to be made at the spark plugs SP, in rapid succession, during the time when the lever 26 is held in the position shown, by the cam 22. As the engine is now being started, the cam 22 hav-l ing' been set somewhat behind the cam 21, so" that the sparks thus produced in the cylinder will be made at a later time, with reference to the cyclic operation of the engine, thus more certainly igniting the charge by providing a larger number of hotter sparks for the purpose.

After the engine has attained its normal speed, the arm 73 of the switch may then be shifted to the contact 81, thus permanently breaking the former circuit and causing the current to pass from the arm 73, over the contact 81, from thence by wire 82, to the terminal and 'by `wire 83 to the contact screw 33. The primary circuit is opened between the contacts 29 and 30 only when the cam 21 pushed the lever 25 into position shown in the left hand side of Fig. 8, against the resiliency of the spring 31, thus making only one spark in the cylinder of the engine at each ignition stroke.- This is eected `necte'd to theterminal 81 of the switch, by

,contacts 29 and 30 and the contacts 46 and 47, respectively. The condenser C is conl 80 Ia wire 86; both condensers being connected tb the ground G by the wire 87, and condenser C is connected to the terminal 72, of the device, by wire 88.

The negative terminal of the battery B is connected to the ground by the wire 89.

The secondary induction coil is connected to -the wire 75 by wire 90 and to the spark plug, by wire 91,A the latter being grounded, as by wire 92.

' While I have herein shown and disclosed a specific apparatus, for the purpose of clear disclosure of my invention it will be manifest to persons skilled in the art, that many changes may be made in the general arrangement, configuration and disposition of, the parts within the scope of the appended,V claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. Spark distributing means for an internal combustion engine comprising a casing, means in said casing for producing a series of sparks in the cylinder of an engine during each ignition stroke; means for producing a single spark in the cylinder of said engine during each ignition stroke and means outside of said casing for selecting either spark-producing means.

2. Spark distributing means for an internal combustion engine comprising a casing, means in said casing for producing a series of sparks in the cylinder of anv engine during each ignition stroke; means for producing a single spark in the cylinder of 4. A spark distributer for internal combustion engines comprising two cam-operated levers and a pair of lever-controlled contacts for each lever; a cam for moving said levers; means for vibrating one of a pair of contacts independently of the said levers; a `circuit for each said pair of contacts; and a switch for selec-ting either circuit.

5. A spark distributer for internal combustion engines comprising two cam-operated levers and a pair of lever-controlled contacts for each lever; cams for moving said levers; means for vibrating one of a pair of contacts independently of said levers; a circuit for each pair of contacts; a switch for selecting either circuit, and a speed-responsive means for operating said switch.

6. A spark distributer for internal combustion engines comprising two cam-operated levers and a pair of lever-controlled contacts for each lever; two adjustable cams, one for moving each said lever; an electromagnet for vibrating one of a pair of said contacts controlled by one of said levers; a circuit for each said pair of contacts, within one of which circuits said electro-magnet is contained; and a switch for selecting either circuit.

7. A spark distributer for an internal combustion engine comprising a casing containing tw'o cam-operated levers; a pair of lever controlled contacts for each lever; two independently ad]ustable cams, one for each lever, and an electro-magnet for vibrating one of a pair of contacts controlled by one of said levers; a circuit for each pair of contacts, and a switch for selecting the circuit.

8. A spark distributer for an internal combustion engine comprising a casing containing two cam-operated levers; two pairs of contacts, one controlled directly by one lever and the other pair by an electro-magnet; an electro-magnet for vibrating one of the last mentioned pair of contacts, means for moving the other lever, when released by its cam, to restrain the operation of said electro-magnet and independently adjustable cams, one for each said lever.

9. A spark distributing means for an internal combustion engine comprising means for producing a series of sparks in the cylinder of an engine during each ignition stroke; means for producing a single spark in the cylinder of said engine at a different cyclic time during each ignition stroke and means for selecting either means of ignition.

10. A spark distributing means for an internal combustion engine comprising means for producing a series of sparks in the cylinder of an engine during each ignition stroke; means for producing a single spark in the cylinder of said engine at a diii'erent cyclic time during each ignition stroke; and means to vary the respective cyclic time for initiating said spark-producing means.

11. A spark distributing means for an internal combustion engine comprising means for producing a series of sparks in the cylinder of an engine during each ignition stroke; means for producing a. single spark in the cylinder of said engine at a d-iferent cyclic time during each ignition stroke; means to initiate the operation of the single spark means earlier in the cyclic time of the stroke than the occurrence of the plural sparks, and means for selecting either means of ignition.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 'witnesses.

ELLIS D. ALLENSWORTH.

In the presence of- Lnwrs O. BnocxwAY, A. D. BoTsroRo. 

